Artificial denture and retainer therefor



June 3, 1952 J BRENNAN 2,599,044

ARTIFICIAL DENTURE AND RETAINER THEREFOR Filed Jan. 3, 1949 2SHEETS-SHEET l [lira/780w June 3, 1952 BRENNAN 2,599,044

ARTIFICIAL DENTURE AND RETAINER THEREFOR Filed Jan. 5, 1949 2sHEETs-sx-1EET 2 F 55 I W jfaaar q 'bar and including portions acfoeUNITED STATES PATENT QFFLCE ARTIFI YGIAL DENTURE AND RETAINER "SH FDKJeiin It li...ei ii iees Ii Apn gation January 3, 1 9, Serial 1519:68,99?

This ent on relat t assassi is; re siii- Fise i w vsi ii l ak i F e iieiiis e ing artificial dentures in place. modified 1119f bar.

As is generally kno n .eriiiieisl .eieiiiiires as Fi ure 1 -1 is als a iw s milar o Fi me 4 are usually constructed comprise a um ponformandshqwing a still further modified form of par. s t n P ste a d sush deuses a e iv 5 i re is i e r s d esie i i ia 'e rely upon atmosphericpressure tor holding same nature and showing in particular the appl cainposition. tion of the rhigs .to the gum, the ring pem While e den u esas are n enerally ee.n s e i esee e ei i e i e s estructed by theinclusion of suction plates, are Fi u e 6 tra verse edim g al Vi w 9 ywhen same denture and a portion-of the gum on a tanare properly fittedat the proper nd-ition of the tially enlarged scale, and showing i par se r l i e it h s .Weve bee 9 9 e spring em t 's-ee e i with the eexperienced with the dentures becoming loose tyre and as beingopratwely'engaged w hthe and feilins emein ein sr s eiheidxeni e gems;et iwiii e i ieihe' n This is i e le ly se .es th iewer F u e a H me esses vie of hede m e t e'ie t e p ima y ree nth i t i ie eni eieiseeilower gum is substantially less pronpu I Figure 8 is a yiew similarto Figure 1 showing the upper gum witlri the result that a lower suetheapplication of a second embqqi mehfgifthe iien Pleie hes s s eiii is iiile s tes eesiee n ii n- W with the gum. 4 Figure 9 is a fr nt edge iewof the duplex The present invention, Whil being applicable retainingring in Figure 8. U to upper dentures, is particul 'rly' pt Fi ure 10 isa'view s'rnilar to Figure Sshoyving generally satisfactory, particu usewith lower tu e W e i, sbe i s e eki the i n s i isse iis iiihee iix rdo not usually h ld hei p sition eeg tel a Figll 11 is else 1?! i wsimila i0 F351;}? do the upper dentures. g5 ili s-los ng t app ca ion oa sti l iu rther em,-

iien to provide a ratus e e ne'e ien with Fisilre i es s riew e? the gumand a denture, and which ep retgs ini g fFig iife eludes readilyreleasable means whereby theden- Figu e grt is an edge yiew gt agiodified ture is capable of being placed 'in fitted position so Pa onthe gum and is also readily removable there} t p a o f i e ins i is re9r F gur ac-e A further object of the invention to provide the denturesecuring means including an arched b'ar Figlil 1, ie im la 1 Figure 5howing adapted to e e d o th sum by be 'e s?- 5 e 15 i99i ir l ein nsem-p ii pp.- ing and gum penetrating :Ineansland the denture 1 ,1 flqihei'mi r t l being provided with clamps .engas'ee ie the Figure 15 is efresmentsl v .wnar n.. .e 7' I 1 1 .161 drly Q Par ally i Pyf' 'itiQWiIQB .3 i fi 0f e denture f0 a e yrelea ns th'e'ens-a 419m i e e. n Pis D w t ,il ylii pl mentof the clamps with the 4, g d ie ine i id a QPlate 9f the Other objects and adv 1 ntages of the in b i 'eiissseei 9fth mp SQ Qns tion will become apparent with at XariaPle distances -ffollowing detailed description, t ke f0 gum with retaining apparatus:embodiment of the invention, s r

Figure 2 is a side elevational yieyv e f bar retaining ring in openposition fo insergtion v 1 1 5 5 11051; Swi 5 H and spring Glamp aportion of the gum. 9 W999??? he .dQlmllT and pre merablycorure 3 is asi ilar i s 1ow ng he ri -i i iii d ii Heste l e er the knobs n closed.e .M .n Y. t fiheibap.

Fi ure 4 is a f n g y w 9; the xeie n ss In the iil seiiei etheepnaretiis miepaatort' e eniureiin position, the be! v e areuateterm; i positioned the embodiment of Figure bar included in theinvention 'in go gg t ieremoyabiy Securing a 3 on the ridge of the gum Gas is indicated in Figure 1.

Incisions are then made in the gum at the juncture of the mucousmembrane and the gum tissue (Fig. 5) and the open rings l2 are thenpassed through such incisions, engaging as much gum tissue as possiblebut not penetrating the jaw bone (Figure 5). The rings are then closedaround the bar which, in accordance with Figure 4, is provided withgrooves l4 for receiving the rings. The rings when closed and engaged inthe grooves I4 firmly retain the bar ID in position on the gum G.

At this point it is to be noted that the bar is 1 preferably of 14 gaugewire of gold, vitallium,

nobilium or any other stainless metal, and the rings are preferablyformed from th sam materiaL Other means may be provided for interlockingtherings with the bar; thus, accordin to Fig. ei-A, the bar may beprovided with apertures I5 through which the rings are passed andaccording to Fig. 4-13 the bar is provided with opposed grooves I4 andloops IS, the rings seating in the grooves and the loops acting toretain the'rings in the grooves.

Other means may be resorted to'for interlocking the bar and rings, theonly essential consideration being that the bar H) be rigidly anchoredin position on the gum without resorting to penetration of the jaw bone.

The denture D is provided with suitable clamp-.

spectively which project through openings 23 and 24 in the tooth andhave their free ends normally projecting'beyond the inner and outerfaces of the tooth as is indicated in Fig. 6. The clamp sections furtherinclude jaws 25 and 26 which grip a knob l I under the influence of acoil spring 21 encircling the pintle' l9 and having arms 28 (only oneshown) engaging the arms 2| and 22.

7 To release the clamp, it is necessary only to press the arms 2| and 22inwardly against the action of spring 21 whereby the denture may bereadily removed from the gum.

The apparatus, according to the first embodiment of the inventiomaspreviously described, is

particularly applicable to gums which have become fully healed.

A second embodiment of the invention, particularly adapted for use wherethe'teeth have all been extracted, is illustrated in Figs. 8, 9 and 10and wherein the retaining bar is of dual form,

including an upper bar 30' to which the knobs 3| are rigidly secured,and a lower bar 30", the bars being preferably of a single strand infiat loop form and the bars 30 and 30" are preferably interconnected byshort vertical bars 30 In the application of this modified form of bar,the lower bar 30 is imbedded in the gum G and the upper bar 30' rests onthe gum as in the first embodiment of the invention. The bar 38" ispreferably positioned after making a proper incision in the gum and thebar is secured in position by means of stitches S (Fig. 10) r The thirdembodiment of the invention is disclosed in Figs. 11 to 13 and whereinthe retain- 4 ing bar 32 is provided with clamp engageable knobs 33 andis also provided with substantially larger gum penetrating knobs 34.

In the application of this embodiment of the invention, the bar 32 restson the gum G and the knobs 34 are disposed within the gum preferablythrough incision therein, after which the knobs 34 are secured in thegum by stitching S (Fig. 13).

A modified form of clamp is shown in Fig. 14 as being operativelyassociated with a front tooth T and wherein the tooth is provided withan internal chamber 35 communicating with an opening 36 in the insidewall of the tooth. The clamp 31 includes a stationary section 38 and amovable section 39 having a pivotal connection 40, with the stationarysection. The movable section 39 ,includes an angular arm 4| extendingthrough and protruding from the opening 36 and a spring 42 engaged witharm 4| retains the lower ends of the clamp sections in engagement withthe knobs ll.

This form of clamp is visible and operable only from the inner side ofthe tooth and such form may be used with a denture D as shown in Fig.'7. The bars as disclosed in Figs. 4, 4-A and 4-15 provide forapplication of dentures to suit different conditions. Thus, if thedistance between the upper and lower jaws is relatively short, the rings12 would be passed through openings I5 and in some instances the knobsll would be eliminated and the clamps engaged directly with the bar.

A modified embodiment of the invention is disclosed in Figure 15 whereinthe bar H! is provided with cylindrical members! I in lieu of the knobsI I and the cylindrical members are provided with a plurality ofcircular grooves Il at different spaced distances from the bar.

This construction is particularly adaptable to suit variable spacingbetween upper and lower jaws since the clamp sections I1 and? can beengaged with any one of the grooves to suit any particular condition ofjaw spacing.

From the above, it should beappreciated that the present inventionprovides relatively simple apparatus for firmly retaining dentures inposition and that such apparatus includes readily releasable meanswhereby the denture may be readily removed.

While I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement ofparts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit oftheinvention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention in accordance with a preferredstructural embodiment thereof, what I claim and desire to secure by U.S. Letters Patent is: 7

1. The combination with a denture, of means for retaining the denture infirm engagement with a gum, comprising an arcuate bar, means directlyengageable with the gum for securing the bar thereto, and clamp meanspivotally supported in the denture in a position to releasably engagesaid bar.

2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said bar is provided withan integralknob releasably engageable by said clamp means.

3. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said bar is provided witha plurality of grooves, and rings adapted to extend through .thegum andseat in said grooves. w o V 4. The structure according to claim 1,wherein said bar is provided with a plurality of apertures. and ringsadapted to extend through the gum and said apertures.

5. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said bar is provided witha plurality of grooves and loops opposite the grooves, and rings adaptedto extend through the gum and seat in said grooves with said loopsengaging said rings to hold same in said grooves.

6. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said clamp meanscomprises a pair of sections disposed within a chamber in the dentureand pivotally connected by a pintle anchored in a tooth included in thedenture, each section having an arm projecting outwardly through anopening in the tooth, and a coil spring encircling the pintle and havingopposed ends resting on the arms for normally retaining the clampsections in engagement with the bar.

7. The combination with a denture, of means for retaining the denture infirm engagement with a gum, comprising an arcuate bar for resting on thegum, means for securing the bar directly to the gum, and clamp means forpivotal support in the denture and releasably engageable with the bar.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said securing means comprisesrings engageable with the gum and said bar.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said securing means comprisesa second bar parallel with and spaced from the first bar and beingengageable within the gum.

10. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said securing meanscomprises knobs on the bar for engagement within the gum.

11. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said bar is provided with aknob engageable by said clamp means.

12. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said clamp means comprises apair of relatively movable jaws, spring means for normally urging thejaws into clamping engagement with the bar, and one of said jaws havingan arm projecting through the inner wall of said denture for release ofthe jaws from clamping engagement with the bar.

13. Apparatus according to claim '7, wherein said bar is provided with acylindrical member having a plurality of circular grooves spaced axiallythereof, said grooves being selectably engageable by said clamp means.

14. The combination with a denture, of means for retaining the denturein firm position on a gum, comprising an arcuate bar for support on thegum, means cooperating with the bar for engagement with the gum tissuefor securing the bar in position on the gum, clamp engageable means onthe bar, and a spring clamp pivotally supported within the denture forreleasably engaging said clamp engageable means for removably retainingthe denture in an operative position on the gum.

' JOHN E. BRENNAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,140,537 Skinner May 25, 19151,140,538 Skinner May 25, 1915 2,112,007 Adams Mar. 22, 1938 2,374,422Dahl Apr. 24, 1945

